The Fourteenth Peril
by Jallil-Drathir
Summary: Her nobody was a shadow. A fragment of darkness that could only survive in the light. Would that make her somebody a fragment of light that can only survive in the dark? Could she be the cause of the new Heartless onslaught on Destiny Islands? R&R please?
1. Storm Brewing

**The Fourteenth Peril**

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the following characters except Dyxsan/Sandy. Disney/Square Enix owns all other characters.

A/N: This occurs after KH2, and is actually the sequel to a comic series I'm going to be writing on deviantART, which re-illustrates the second game. I hope you enjoy, and please R&R.

* * *

Yeah. There's something weird about that dude with the spiky brown hair. Or maybe there's something weird about this whole place. I feel like I know him from somewhere…I feel like I know everything about him. But I myself have never met him before. 

A year spent in darkness-I'd literally given my heart to someone, or rather, attempted to, and it had resulted in me becoming a heartless. Not that my efforts did them any good. I couldn't help it, I felt bad for the guy! I came to a strange world, not entirely sure how I'd gotten there, ran from these beings in white suits that attacked me up to the very top of a tower, where a handsome man with silver hair and orange eyes turned and simply…dismissed them. To this day I still don't know how he did it. All I remember is that he didn't even acknowledge my presence until _after_ the incident, just turned back to the heart-shaped moon and spoke to it eloquently. It moved me, and I owed him for saving my life anyway, so I pulled out my own heart and attempted to give it to him-foolish thing to do, I realize this. It resulted in me becoming a heartless, and the heart just sort of floated out of my palm up to that moon. What a waste.

And that's the last thing I remember, until suddenly, perhaps a year later, in the middle of the immense darkness, I saw a light. Well, I wasn't going to be foolish enough to pass up my only chance for redemption. I reached up and touched that light-and I reappeared on a place called Destiny Islands-I couldn't tell you how I got there either. I was a human again.

I began walking down the beach, coming along the strangest sight I've ever seen in my life perhaps half an hour after being reunited with my heart. A boy with long silver hair swung a large, fully clothed mouse in a big hug, and a giant dog and duck flung themselves at a boy with spiky brown hair, who was then helped out of the water by a radiant girl with auburn hair. The humans all seemed to be around my age, the silver-haired one being a year older I guessed. That duck was what got me though.

I couldn't help myself, the moment I saw it I cried, "Oh my gosh! What a cute ducky!" and jumped into the water, pulling it into a big hug. It started screeching in surprise and fear, most likely wondering who the hell was attacking him. I myself was startled to realize it spoke, and voiced this odd concern. The boy with brown hair laughed, mentioning that getting the duck to be quiet was the trick. I looked up at him, wanting to know what creature had such a sweet voice, and saw bright blue eyes on a smiling face. I smiled in return.

"Are you new around here?" The girl asked uncertainly, smiling at me. "I don't think I've seen you before." I nodded.

"Just got here about half an hour ago," I said, conveniently leaving out the fact that I had appeared here from the darkness. The unorthodox group went on to introduce themselves, but at the time I really only caught one name, the last name mentioned.

"And I'm Sora."

I pulled myself into a standing position, and he offered me his hand. I smiled, shaking it.

"The name is Sandy."

His smile fell for a moment, and he had the look about him of someone who had just realized something, but his smile returned quickly.

Which brings us back to the beginning of my little rant. There's something odd about him, and I feel like I've met him before, but I know that I haven't. It couldn't be possible…could it?

His weird animal friends left soon enough, and Kairi offered me a place to stay after I confessed that I was on my own with no munnies and nowhere to go.

School started for Sora, Riku, and me the other day, Kairi's parents enrolling me themselves. Kairi is kind of weird too…I pass by her room sometimes and she's always talking to someone called Naminé, but when I ask her parents about anyone with that name, they say they've never heard of her.

I was lucky in that I managed to have every class with either Sora, Riku, or Kairi. Sora makes the days so interesting, and treats me as if we have been good friends for a very long time-maybe he's like that with everyone. Yes, he is weird, but in a good way. The most odd thing about him, I'd have to say, is that he sometimes accidentally calls me Dyxsan, or Dyxsie-Well, I've never met anyone named Dyxsan, but I guess he has, and I must remind him of her very much. I've asked him once or twice to tell me about this Dyxsan, but he simply changes the subject. It doesn't matter, I suppose.

* * *

"Hey! Sandy! Hurry up! Come on, it's Monday, we have to go!" Kairi's voice rang up the stairs, pulling the dirty blonde from her reverie. 

"Coming!" She called back down, quickly pulling on her shoes, grabbing up her book bag and purse, and rushing down the stares.

"What took you so long?" Kairi asked, with some irritation.

"I was just thinking…" Sandy replied, shrugging.

"Well, you can think on the way to school."

"Have a nice day, you two!" Came the voice of Kairi's mother from the kitchen. Both teenagers nodded to her, heading out the door.

It wasn't long till Selphie joined them. Kairi began chatting away to the brunette; Sandy simply looked ahead at the winding road. Kairi was popular in school, and Sandy was used to her many random friends joining their party. They didn't bother talking to her, and she returned the favor quite contentedly. It was only when they met Sora and Riku in the courtyard that she would begin to speak, and even then she didn't have much to say.

"Hello Sora, Riku, how are you two this morning?" She asked, nodding at them in turn.

"Eh, unhappy it's Monday," Riku shrugged, and Sandy smiled in agreement.

"Pretty good, and you?" Sora asked, raising his arms and putting his hands behind his head in what Sandy had come to see as his 'signature pose.'

"I side with Riku on this one," she said, sighing.

"Hey Sora and Riku!" Kairi's voice came as she wandered over to the three of them, having at last broken away from her other friends. She then proceeded to ask the same question as Sandy, and received the same response.

"Oh, I'm pretty good myself, thanks for asking Sora," Kairi smiled at him, which caused Sora's face to turn bright red.

Everyone in the school knew by now that Kairi had a crush on Sora, and that Sora returned these feelings. Everyone, that is, except for them. They acted the same way all the time around each other, but somehow they couldn't deduce that the other mirrored their emotions. Sandy didn't mind their ignorance-she was jealous of Kairi as it was for unknowingly having Sora's heart.

Sora and Riku had been students in Destiny Islands previously, both mysteriously having disappeared during summer before their freshmen year. Supposedly the island had been enveloped in darkness, but everyone had returned except for them. The duo had been popular as well before their disappearances, and now old friendships picked up right where they had left off-Sandy noticed that Sora's friendships were a little more shaky then Riku's, something about people having temporarily forgotten him for some reason or another.

A bell rang somewhere, once more pulling Sandy away from her thoughts. She smiled at Riku, motioning that they should head to class.

First period was Algebra II/Trigonometry, which she had with only Riku. It was an advanced class for their grade level, and, as he had stated many times, math was not Sora's strongest suit. The minutes in this class always snailed by, and she managed to survive by simply playing paper football with Riku, or else talking to him. Neither told the other of their pasts in darkness, but there was a certain understanding between them that caused them both to just _know_.

Second period was Drama, which she had with Sora and Kairi. They often worked as a group, and it was, as a rule, Sandy's favorite class. On the downside, it ended far too quickly. Then she and Kairi would head to AP English, and entertain themselves by passing notes whilst the teacher wasn't looking. Fourth period was gym, which Sandy had with both Riku and Sora-and, unsurprisingly, the two boys were the fittest in class. Lunch would come, where Kairi would join the three again, and then it would be off to Art class for Sora, Kairi, and Sandy. Kairi had gained the title as the best artist in class, but obviously Sandy was missing some sort of joke, because after Kairi submitted an amazing piece of artwork, Sora would, with a mock indignant tone, accuse her of cheating for letting Naminé draw for her. Sandy asked them both who Naminé was a few times, mentioning that she occasionally heard Kairi talking to this person as she passed by her room, but they always changed the subject, much to her annoyance.

Once art was over, Sandy would meet Riku for chemistry, where again her survival depended on paper football and random talk, and then she would head for history-the only class she had with _only_ Sora. She enjoyed the class for that reason alone.

Then, of course, school would end, and she would either walk home with Kairi, or the four would get together and hang out somewhere-generally with ice cream.

"Four sea-salt ice creams, please!" Kairi chimed to the man over the counter, handing over some munnies her parents had given her that morning. The man gave them the aqua blue ice cream bars, and they would wander off, almost always to the little island not too far away.

One day, Kairi had stayed back on the main island for a bit, whilst Riku, Sora, and Sandy had made their regular trip to the smaller island, Sora arriving before the other two.

As the sun began to creep below the horizon, Riku's raft pulled up on the sandy shores. Sora was on the small islet, watching the sunset.

"Shall we?" Riku asked, helping Sandy out of the raft. She shook her head. "You go, I'll catch up in a minute."

The boy shrugged, sprinting off towards a shack that had a set of stairs leading up to the bridge. Sandy turned her attention to the small cave covered in brambles.

It shouldn't have been noticeable to someone whom was relatively new to the island, and had always paid their attention to other things, but Sandy had spotted it the first time she'd set foot on the sand, and every time thereafter. Something had simply attracted her attention to it, and since then she'd desperately wanted to know what lay beyond the brambles-she just never had the chance to find out until now.

Whilst the boys stood conversing, Sandy climbed through the mouth, walking down a narrow corridor and at last coming out in a room-like area. She stared around at the graffiti lining the walls, one piece in particular catching her notice.

It was a carving that Sandy immediately recognized as Sora and Kairi, their arms extended as they fed each other the legendary paopu fruit-the very fruit that was said to interlock the destinies of anyone who shared it. Sandy kneeled down, running her hand over it.

A bright flash-

"Remember what you said before? I'll come back to you, I promise!"

"I know you will."

Heart ache.

Static filled Sandy's vision, and then she saw a girl with purple hair talking to Sora, silver eyes flashing, wearing a long black cloak.

"I'll help you keep that promise, Sora…whatever it takes, I'll help you get back to her."

More static, and then there were two platforms-on one stood a younger Sora, being attacked by-Sandy realized with a jolt-Darkside, a formidable heartless. On another was a blonde boy, being attacked by one of the white things that had chased her through that odd world so long ago. A mysterious voice rang out, speaking to the girl with purple hair, who stood between the two platforms.

"A shadow is a fragment of darkness that can only survive in the light...The closer you get to light, the greater your shadow becomes... Until recently you have been travelling back and forth between these two lights, but now you must choose between them…"

The purple haired girl cupped her chin in her hand, contemplating for a moment before saying slowly, "Sora, of course…"

"You have decided on the chosen keyblade master. You can not go back to the Organization."

"Well, I know that, but if chose the Organization, I could never see Sora again."

"Your heart is now connected with Sora's. He is your only light."

"I don't have a heart-I'm a nobody, remember?" The girl said skeptically.

"Being his shadow, you now share Sora's heart."

The static reappeared, and Sandy's eyes saw a void of nothingness, Sora crying over the purple-haired girl's form with Riku watching sadly from the background.

"You'll be alright! Curaga! Curaga!" He cried.

"I can't be healed, Sora, but don't cry. Xemnas has been defeated. All is well. You can go home to Kairi now. I just…I just have two requests…" The girl said sadly.

"Anything," Sora promised.

"Don't forget me…think of me every now and then?"

"Every day. I couldn't forget you, anyhow," Sora smiled weakly.

"And…say goodbye to me. Not a cheesy, 'I can't think of what to say' goodbye…A real goodbye. You've got a heart, so make it heartfelt," the girl said, her volume rising in slight hysteria near the end.

Sora nodded. "You've become one of the most important people in the world to me, Dyxsan, and there is absolutely nothing I could say that could ever explain how much I feel for you, so…this is my goodbye." He swooped the girl up into a tight embrace, causing her silver eyes to widen in amazement, and then tears started falling down her cheeks. It was then that white swirls began emitting from her, and as the last flash of light came and went, her voice rang throughout the nothingness.

"Thank you Sora, for being my light, for being my hero…"

Sandy stepped back, the small cave reappearing around her. She put her hand to her forehead, unsure of what had just happened, then turned to see a wooden door with a golden lining-had that been there before, and she had simply missed it?

"Dyxsan…" she whispered the name under her breath. So that's whom Sora always confused her with. Sandy shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts of the weird phenomenon, and walked out of the cave casually, as if hoping by doing so she could pretend like that hadn't just happened.

Stepping out by the waterfall, she looked towards the islet. Riku, Sora, and Kairi were standing close together, looking at something. She ran to the shack, up the stairs, and across the bridge to them.

"Hey guys, what's up?" She asked, her voice a bit shaky. They looked up over a piece of parchment, faces slightly grim.

"Is…something wrong?" She asked.

"N-nothing," Sora replied shakily. Kairi bit her lip, and Sandy folded her arms across her chest.

"You don't expect me to believe that, do you? Come on, Sora, you suck at lying," she said, somewhat angrily. "If it's something personal I'll butt out, but don't _lie_ to me. I know something is up."

Sora faltered, and just as he looked like he was about to say everything, Riku gave Kairi a look. Kairi quickly grabbed Sandy's arm, mentioning that they had to go, she'd gotten a call from her mother that said they both had to return to the house once she had found Sandy. The latter didn't believe the tale, but simply let Kairi drag her back to the raft, looking over her shoulder to see the two boys staring sadly after her.

They had already paddled halfway back to the main island when Sandy couldn't contain the question any longer.

"Kairi…did that letter say something about me, or something?"

Kairi went rigid.

"No…what-whatever gave you that idea?" she fumbled.

"You're as bad a liar as Sora. All right, it involves me. I think I have the right to know what it says then."

Kairi bit her lip.

"You may deserve the right…but that doesn't mean you _want_ to know…and if I tell you what that letter said, you'll only wish I hadn't."

"It's going to eat away at me until you do."

"It'll eat away at you worse _if_ I do. Look, Sora and Riku will think of some-" She was cut off when Sandy's cell phone started going off. Looking at the caller ID, she saw that it was Sora, so flipped the lid open and said, "You gonna tell me what that letter said?"

Much to her disappointment, Riku's voice answered.

"No. Put me on speaker, please." Sandy sighed dryly, doing as he requested.

"Alright, Riku, welcome to speaker phone," she said.

"Both of you are gonna want to pack your things-"

"What? Why?" Sandy asked, alarmed.

"Because we may be leaving soon. All four of us. I don't suggest telling anyone about it, just be ready. We don't know when we're leaving, but we know that we _are_ leaving." He hung up. Sandy made a noise of frustration, shoving her phone back into her pocket.

"So now we're leaving, and I don't even get to know why?" she grumbled. "Well, if I don't know why, then I simply refuse to go." Sandy resumed rowing the boat.

Kairi bit her lip. "Um…well, you see, you won't really have a choice-"

"Wanna bet?" The dirty-blonde challenged viciously.

Sandy packed a few things in her book bag despite herself. It took her all of about fifteen minutes, not having much left over from her…previous life.

Dinner was silent, Kairi's parents constantly asking the pair if anything was wrong, and each time they would say "No, nothing is wrong," an automatic response instilled in the brain at a very young age, generally a polite way of saying, "Yes, but I don't want to tell _you_."

Sandy turned in early that night, not bothering to get on her computer and manage her many accounts strewn across the internet. Outside the window, dark storm clouds were gathering, so very different from the clear sunset that occurred not long ago.


	2. Darkness Rising

Sandy's blue-green eyes flickered open, and she began looking about her. Where was she? Oh yes…Kairi's house.

The dirty-blonde sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and running a hand through her wavy hair. She chanced a look out her window, only to see the dark clouds still there, looming over Destiny Islands menacingly. There was something very peculiar, and sadly familiar about those clouds, but she simply couldn't place what.

Wanting nothing more then to sink back into the pillows and let sleep wash over her again, the teenager rose from her mattress and pulled on her school uniform, darting around to get ready for the school day ahead.

"Oh, you're on time for once," Kairi remarked grumpily, pulling her backpack strap over her shoulder.

"What's your problem?" Sandy retorted, taking in Kairi's apparel-a pink dress with three zippers and a white undershirt. "You're going to get busted for not wearing your uniform, you know? You go change, I'll wait for you." Kairi shook her head, and though Sandy cocked her head to the side inquiringly, Kairi said nothing more on her decision.

"You know, I always thought you were a bit of a goody goody, so it is _really_ weird to see you intentionally breaking a rule…" Sandy commented as they walked down the dirt path to school. Kairi still said nothing, and even when they were joined by Selphie, the auburn-haired girl was unusually quiet. Amazingly, the preppy brunette did not seem to notice.

Upon reaching the school courtyard, Sandy made a beeline through the crowd to where Sora and Riku were standing-today, they particularly stood out like sore thumbs, due to each wearing clothes that were _definitely_ not their uniforms. The two boys were speaking in hushed tones, grim expressions planted firmly on their faces.

"Guys? What's going on?" Sandy asked hesitantly, almost afraid to interrupt their somber discussion. Sora jumped at her voice, then rested his hand over his heart and breathed deeply.

"Hey, don't sneak up on me, okay?" He said harshly, before turning back towards Riku, whom was observing Sandy quietly.

"What's his problem?" she mouthed to the silver-haired teen, whom replied with a mere shrug, much to her irritation.

"Here," Sora said suddenly, shoving something black that was poorly folded at her.

"What is it?" She asked dryly, crossing her arms.

"Just take it and put it on," Sora said, trying to sound a little more light hearted. He gave her a cheesy grin, as if he was apologizing for snapping at her.

Sandy took it, letting the black mass completely unfold before her. It had a zipper down the middle, and two chords for tightening the hood. The girl put it over her uniform, amazed to find it fit her perfectly. Sora then handed her some finger-less gloves, and smiled approvingly as she pulled them on.

"What are these for?" Sandy asked, looking up into those stunning blue eyes.

"We'll explain later," Riku cut across as Sora opened his mouth to reply. A bell rang somewhere, and Sora bid them farewell, running off to catch up with Kairi.

"Explain later?" Sandy asked, narrowing her eyes at Riku as he led the way to Algebra II/Trigonometry. "Why can't you just explain now? What the _hell_ is going on?"

Riku looked over his shoulder at her, then shook his head. If he had intended this to calm Sandy down, it had quite the opposite effect, but she repressed the long string of curses that were forming in her mind.

Upon entering the classroom, the two were immediately sent to the office for dress code violation.

"Hey Sora, Kairi," Riku nodded at the two as he walked through the glass doors of the main office. Sandy stared at him-how could he be so casual that all four of them were now in trouble? She promptly dropped herself into the plastic seat between the two boys, letting out a sigh of irritation.

"Can someone _at least_ tell me what the point was in getting in trouble for not wearing our school clothes?"

"Better to be safe then sorry, and these clothes are much easier to fi-" Sora began, before being silenced by a death glare from Riku.

"Fight?" Sandy asked, alarmed. "Is that…is that what you were about to say, Sora? We're going to be fighting? Look, I like you guys and everything, but I'd really rather not become a delinquent over some hair-brained scheme you came up with-" her voice was slowly rising with hysteria. Riku slapped his hand to his forehead, Kairi shifted uncomfortably, and Sora scratched his head and smiled apologetically at his silver-haired friend. "-And furthermore, I'm not enemies with anyone, so I have no reason to fight! You guys could have at least-"

The dirty-blonde stopped here as she saw something she had hoped never to encounter again slither its way out of the ground. Her eyes widened in terror and she pointed at it with shock, uttering one word that sent the other three into immediate motion.

"Heartless."

Riku, Sora, and Kairi immediately jumped up and spun around, staring at the shadow that had risen, its yellow eyes glowing in a curious fashion. It might have been cute, had Sandy not spent a year looking exactly like that, had she not come to associate anything with that magnitude of darkness about them with damnation. She stepped away from it slowly, mumbling about how now would be a good time to run, before a bunch of them sprouted out of the ground and attacked. Expecting that the others were right behind her, she turned on her heels and began sprinting, right through a door that led into a long white corridor, where classes were still in session. Her fellow students had no idea of the danger…But what could she do? How could she warn them that the island was under attack, when all it would really do is cause them to panic, and make them easy prey for the heartless? Perhaps it was better to simply leave them to their own, maybe that was the only heartless around?

The teenager stopped running, gasping for breath.

"Guys…what…should we….do?" she turned around, intending to look at them meaningfully, only to find that she was alone.

"Kairi? Riku?" Sandy began, spinning in place, searching for them in the shadows, as if hoping they might suddenly spring out. "…Sora?"

Her friends, unfortunately, were not the ones to spring from the shadows. The Heartless molded themselves from the surrounding darkness, all staring at her expectantly. Could they sense the lingering shadows in her own heart? Yes…and they hungered for it so. She could see it in their ravenous yellow eyes.

"No, no not again. I don't want to be swallowed by the darkness again…" she said, stepping backwards, terror filling her voice. "Not again, not again." They all crouched down, then pounced in unison. She shrieked in terror, clamping her eyes shut and folding her arms across her chest, as if hoping that would stop them from taking her heart.

There was an odd gust of wind and a noise of something metallic cutting through the dark beings, and Sandy chanced a look.

Sora stood in front of her, knees slightly bent, legs stretched out, head bowed, left hand planted firmly on the ground to give him additional support. His right hand, meanwhile, was clamped tightly around the yellow hilt of an extraordinarily large, silver key, from which dangled a black keychain in the shape of that over-sized mouse's head.

The girl stared at this odd key in awe. Had Sora just driven off the heartless with that? Where had it come from? He hadn't been carrying it with him before…No way could that thing fit in his pocket. What _was_ it?

Strong arms swept Sandy off her feet, causing her to shriek in terror before she realized it was Riku. He smiled in slight amusement, then began carrying her off, and called over his shoulder, "Come on, Sora, Kairi's already in the Gummi ship."

"Gummi ship?" Sandy asked, clinging onto Riku, as if afraid he would drop her back into the darkness at any moment. But he wouldn't do that…he knew what the darkness was like. She could feel it in his heart, as much as he could feel it in hers.

"Yeah…you'll see."

"I'll see? Riku, I want to know _now_, or else I'm not going anywhere."

"You don't really have a choice…See, I'm kind of holding onto you here. And, judging by the fact that you've wrapped your arms excruciatingly tight around my neck, I sincerely doubt you want me to put you down anyway."

Sandy's face flushed bright red, and she loosened her grip slightly, choosing to look _anywhere_ but at Riku.

It wasn't long before the three of them were piling into a bright ship. The hatch closed almost immediately after Sora had gotten in, and Riku set Sandy down. She followed them up to the cockpit, where Sora took his place in the driver's seat. Kairi sat just behind him to his left, and Riku to his right. There were only three chairs…

"Um…where am I supposed to sit?" Sandy asked.

"Just go sit in the gaming room, like you always do. I'll join you once I'm sure it's safe to put this thing on auto-pilot," Sora replied absently. "Don't forget to buckle your seatbelt though, Dyxsan, we don't want another accident."

Sandy cleared her throat with irritation.

"Sora…my name is Sandy. I've never seen this ship before. I don't know where the gaming room is," she said icily. Sora looked over his shoulder in shock.

"Oh…right. Er, walk through that door and to the left. Sit in the really puffy purple armchair and buckle your seatbelt-yes, we nailed the armchair to the ground, and installed a seatbelt. That is, Donald, Goofy, Dyxsan, and I…" Sora scratched his head in some embarrassment. Sandy sighed, walking out of the cockpit to sit alone in a purple armchair.

"Feel free to play some of the games!" Sora called after her.

A few moments later Sandy plopped down into the puffy chair, strapping herself in hesitantly and staring at the blank screen. She wasn't quite in the mood for games.

The girl wiped some cold sweat off her brow, sighing. After finally escaping the void of darkness, she'd been so close to being engulfed in it again. The teenager could still feel the dark tendrils creeping up her skin, ensnaring her, suffocating her…

Sandy put her head in her hands. If Sora hadn't been there…

_Jeese, you act so helpless! Why didn't you just summon the dark blade?_ Came an unfamiliar voice. Sandy nearly jumped out of her skin, looking around her. Where had the noise come from?

_Uh, duh. Man, you would think my somebody would do at least a little better than that! No more Damsel in Distress, 'kay? Next time you see a heartless, you show him who's boss. Don't let Sora do all the work for you, how can you _possibly_ impress him like that? Exactly. You can't.  
_

"What? I'm not trying to impress-"

_Don't _even_ pretend. I'm in your head, and I share your heart. As far as you go, I know all that there is to know._

"Alright then. Make it fair. At least tell me who you are."

There was a short pause, and Sandy silently cursed herself for going crazy and imagining voices, but it came again a moment later.

"_The name is Dyxsan. Number XIV. And as my good friend Axel might say in this situation, got it memorized?"_


End file.
